Hitachi elevates Kojin Nakakita as MD, Hitachi India

Nakakita replaces Ichiro Iino, who has been promoted as chief executive for Asia Pacific.

Hitachi India has elevated Kojin Nakakita as Managing Director. He will be responsible to grow Hitachi's 'Social Innovation Business' in India. He was previously deputy MD, Hitachi India.

The company's erstwhile India MD Ichiro Iino has been promoted as chief executive for Asia Pacific. He will be responsible to grow Hitachi's 'Social Innovation Business' in ASEAN, India, Korea and Oceania.

Iino will succeed Kiyoaki Iigaya, who is returning to Japan to assume the post of president of Hitachi Document Solutions. Iino will also take over the role as new chairman of Hitachi Asia and Hitachi India from Iigaya.

Both appointments will be effective from April 1, 2015.

Under the 2015 mid-term management plan, Hitachi aims to achieve an overseas sales ratio of more than 50 per cent, while expanding business in the global market for its 'Social Innovation Business'.

Iino will develop regional growth strategies, promote localisation and will be responsible to effectively utilise management resources. In addition to having overall responsibility for regional profitability, Iino will have the authority to make investments in new business areas where growth is expected, and will be accountable for achieving positive returns on these investments. This is part of Hitachi's transition to an "autonomous decentralised global management" structure, in which each region is able to lead its business autonomously.

Iino also led Hitachi group companies in the South Asia region under the 'One Hitachi' initiative, to provide customers with the full value chain of services as one entity. In his new role, he will be responsible for business development in four key areas: healthcare solutions, collaborative solutions with developers and conglomerates, home appliance business targeting the B2B market and financial solutions.

Iino says, "Previously, Oceania and Korea were not under the purview of any region's chief executive. The fact that they are now under my responsibility is testament of the growing importance of the APAC region to Hitachi, and proof of how the company is accelerating its globalisation and transformation into a global major player. I will work closely with the managing directors in ASEAN, India, Korea and Oceania to customise business expansion plans for each region."

"With the autonomy to act as a control tower, I will be able to better develop solutions with Hitachi's customers through "creative collaboration". In addition, I will be able to expand our investments in the Social Innovation Business, where growth is expected particularly for social infrastructure related business to increase our profit," he adds.

Iino began his career in Hitachi in 1980 when he joined the company's International Operations Group, after graduating from Hokkaido University with a Bachelor of Engineering degree. He has since accumulated extensive experience in sales and marketing, and business management in the field of social infrastructure and industrial systems in various positions in his career.

From 2001 to 2004, he was appointed general manager, Overseas Marketing Department, Mitsubishi-Hitachi Metals Machinery, a joint venture between Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi.

In 2004, he was assigned as general manager, Global Industrial Systems Department, Industrial Systems Sales Division. In 2009, he was executive general manager, Industrial Systems and Solutions Division, Sales and Marketing Division, Industrial and Social Infrastructure Systems Company.

In his new role, Nakakita will lead Hitachi India to become an independent, self-reliant entity as the Hitachi Group moves towards "autonomous decentralised global management."

He says, "India is a promising big market and a strategic region for Hitachi. Hitachi has been present in India since the 1930s. Now, with the new government unveiling ambitious plans for the country's growth, there are increasing business opportunities in which Hitachi can further contribute to the economy and betterment of society such as in the areas of Water, Oil & Gas, Railway, Healthcare, Payment service & IT solutions. These are also key business sectors that Hitachi is expanding in India."

Nakakita began his career in Hitachi in 1988 when he joined the company's Heavy Industry Department, Headquarters Sales Office, after graduating from the United State International University with a Bachelor of Science degree. He possesses a strong background in social infrastructure business development, particularly in the water treatment, smart cities and heavy industry equipment industries. His long experience in the Industrial Systems Group also came in handy when steering Hitachi India's infrastructure business as deputy managing director.

Prior to his appointment at Hitachi India, Nakakita was already familiar with the Indian market. As general manager of the Global Water Business Development Division, from 2011 to 2014, he spearheaded the Dahej Desalination Project under the Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor concept, which became a symbolic milestone for both the Japan and India governments.

Hitachi currently has 31 business bases and over 10,000 employees in India.